Monthly Archives: May 2015

She begins. I scrunch my eyes and hold my breath, fighting through the first couple of minutes, adjusting to the sensation of the needle piercing my skin. Gradually, I start to let my body relax. The pain is not as intense as I thought it would be. It helps that Kyla moves from my left boob to the right, instead of remaining in one spot, which keeps my mind distracted and spreads the discomfort. I flinch as she injects into a tender area right near my left scar. I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing in order to get through it. She asks me if the pain is too intense. I tell her it hurts a lot but I’m ok.

“Please continue,” I say. So she does.

“There! Go take a look.” Kyla Gutsche instructs. She is the Pied Piper of cosmetic tattooing. We are in her office, which is housed in a traditional medical building in the heart of Peterborough of all places. I sought Kyla’s services booking a year and a half ago to make sure I was in her queue. After my mastectomies I yearned to see the same familiar sight, the one I had seen my entire life, two breasts and a pair of nipples. Kyla I knew had the magical powers to recreate my blank chest.

When I see myself reflected in the mirror on the back of the door, I’m thrilled. Two 3-D looking areolas are strategically placed on each of my reconstructed breasts. Both placed in just the right position anchoring each implant, layered on top of my scars.

“They look amazing! Thank you!” I say to Kyla filled with a rush of emotion.

“Now, it’s very important to remember that due to the oxidation of the blood, the tattoos will look dark for close to a week, then a thin scab will form and then it will naturally exfoliate and peel off. It’ll take a full four weeks before the permanent colour sets in. So remember dark…light…right.”

I nod my head, taking a mental note of Kyla’s instructions. Today is the climax, the big drum roll that I’ve been waiting for, for so long. I feel a tremendous weight lift from my body and marvel in the simple fact that I finally have my tattoos.